Brothers kill Ex-Panchayat Member; Allege Victim Pracitising Witchcraft

Two men followed the former Nagar Panchayat member late at night to the fields and beat him to death. His body was found in a pool of blood on Monday morning after which police launched a probe and nabbed the accused within 24 hours.

Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh): The Katera police on Tuesday arrested two brothers for murdering a former Nagar Panchayat member on Sunday night for allegedly performing witchcraft on their wives. The victim, Mahesh's body, aged 32, was found on Monday morning in a pool of blood with his ears and throat slit.

Mahesh's younger brother, Dharmendra, lodged a complaint with the local police against four suspects, who were detained by the police on Monday. A case was registered under Section 302 (whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life) of the Indian Penal Code.

The police began the probe and finally narrowed it down to two among the four, brothers Khemchand Singh and Hari Singh. On interrogation, they confessed to killing Mahesh, who hailed from the Pukhraya Khirak village and had served the Panchayat 10 years ago, was practising witchcraft on their wives and tormenting them.

As per the brothers' statement, Mahesh was harassing their wives. Perturbed and disgusted, the brothers then conspired to murder Mahesh. When Mahesh had gone to the fields on Sunday night to guard the crops, Khemchand and Hari beat him to death.

According to sources, Mahesh's wife had died by suicide two years ago. The deceased Mahesh is survived by a three-year-old daughter. The Superintendent of Police Rural said that Rural Gopinath Soni, said, "Stringent action will be being taken against the two accused."